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Manipulation refers to making attempts at indirectly influencing someone else’s behavior or actions. As human beings, our emotions often cloud our judgments, making it difficult to see the reality behind hidden agendas or motives in different forms of behavior. The controlling aspects linked to manipulation are sometimes very subtle and may be easily overlooked, buried under feelings of obligation, love, or habit. You can recognize the signs and avoid being a victim.

Notice if the person always wants you to speak first. Manipulative people want to listen to what you have to say so they can find out your strengths and weaknesses. They will ask you probing questions so that you will talk about your personal opinions and feelings. These questions usually begin with “What,” “Why,” or “How.” Their responses and actions are based on the information you have given them.[1]

Always wanting you to speak first should not be considered manipulation on its own. Take into consideration the other things the person does as well.

The manipulative person will not reveal much personal information during these conversations but focus on you instead.

If this behavior happens in the majority of the conversations you have with them, it may be a sign of manipulation.

Although it may feel like genuine interest, keep in mind that there may be a hidden agenda behind all this questioning. If you try to get to know the person, and or they refuse to answer questions or quickly changes the subject, it may be not be genuine interest.

Notice if the person uses charm to accomplish things. Some people are naturally charming, but a manipulator uses charm to get something. This person may compliment someone before making a request. They may give a small gift or card before asking or say they will do a favor to get the other person to do something.[2]

For example, someone may cook a nice dinner and be very sweet before asking the other person for money or help with a project.

Look out for coercive behavior. Manipulators will persuade people to do something using force or threats. They may yell at a person, criticize a person, or threaten a person to get him to do something. The person might begin by saying, “If you do not do this, I will ___” or “I won’t ___, until you ____.” A manipulator will use this tactic to not only get a person to do something, but also to get him to stop doing a certain behavior.[3]

Be aware of how the person handles facts. If a person manipulates facts or tries to overwhelm you with facts and information, they could be trying to manipulate you. Facts may be manipulated by lying, making excuses, withholding information, exaggerating, or making excuses. Someone may also act like an expert on a subject and bombard you with facts and statistics. The person does this to feel more powerful than you.[4][5]

Notice if a person is always a martyr or victim. This person may do things that you did not ask them to, and then hold it over your head. By “doing you a favor,” their expectation increases that you have to return the favor and they may complain when you don’t.[6]

A manipulator may also complain and say, “I’m so unloved/sick/victimized, etc.” in an effort to gain your sympathy and to get you to do things for him.

Consider whether their kindness is conditional. They might be sweet and kind to you if you do a certain task well enough, but all heck breaks loose if you dare do it wrong. This type of manipulator seems to have two faces: one angelic one for when they want you to like them, and one awful one for when they want you to fear them. Everything seems fine until you fail their expectations.

You may be walking on eggshells, afraid to make them angry.

Observe patterns of behavior. All people engage in manipulative behavior at times. However, people who are manipulators engage in this behavior on a regular basis. A manipulator has a personal agenda and intentionally tries to exploit another person for power, control, and privileges at the other person’s expense.[7] If these behaviors are happening on a regular basis, this person may be a manipulator.

When you are being manipulated, your rights or interests are often compromised and are not important to the other person.

Recognize that disabilities or mental illnesses can play a role. For example, a person who has depression may go into a genuine guilt spiral with no manipulative intent, and a person with ADHD may have trouble checking their email regularly. This does not make someone manipulative.

Notice if you are made to feel inadequate or judged. A common technique is to pick on you and ridicule you to make you feel inadequate. No matter what you do, this person can always find something wrong. Nothing you do will be good enough. Instead of offering any helpful suggestions or constructive criticism, the person only points out the negative things about you. [8]

This can also be accomplished through sarcasm or jokes. A manipulator may make jokes about your clothing, the car you drive, where you work, your family, your appearance, or anything. Although the comments may be disguised as humor, the humor is used to take jabs at you. You are the butt of the jokes. And it is used to make you feel poorly about yourself.

Notice if you are getting the silent treatment. A manipulator uses silence to gain control. They may ignore phone calls, text messages, and emails for an unreasonable amount of time. This is done to make you feel uncertainty or to punish you because you have “done something wrong”. The “silent treatment” is different than just taking some time to cool off and then re-connect; it is used as a way to try to make the other person feel powerless.

The silent treatment may be provoked by your actions, but may be unprovoked. If a manipulative person wants to make the other person feel insecure, randomly cutting all communication works well.

If you ask the person the reason for the silence, they may deny that anything is wrong or tell you that you are being paranoid or unreasonable.[9]

Recognize a guilt trip. A guilt trip seeks to make you feel responsible for the manipulator’s behavior. It also puts you in control of the other person’s emotions: happiness, failure, or success, anger, and the like. You will end up feeling obligated to carry out things for his sake even if it is unreasonable.[10]

Guilt trips are usually prefaced with statements like, “If you were more understanding, you’d…” or “If you really love me you’d…” or, “I did this for you, why won’t you do this for me?” (For something you did not ask for).

If you find yourself agreeing to things that you normally would not or things that make you uncomfortable, you may be a victim of manipulation.

Notice if you are always apologizing. A manipulator can flip a situation to make it feel like you have done something wrong. This can be done by blaming you for something that you did not do or making you feel responsible for a situation. For example, if you said that you and the person were going to meet at 1:00 pm, but they show up two hours late. You confront the person, and they respond with “You’re right. I never do anything right. I don’t know why you still talk to me. I don’t deserve to have you in my life.” The person has now made you feel sympathy for them and changed the nature of the conversation.[11]

A manipulator will also misinterpret anything you have said in the worst possible way which may make you apologize for what you have said.

Be aware if the person is always comparing you to other people. In an effort to get you to do something, a person may tell you that you do not measure up to other people. They may also tell you that you will look dumb if you do not do it.[12] This is done to make you feel guilty and to pressure you into doing what they have asked you to do.[13]

“Anyone else would __,” or, “If I asked Mary, she would do it,” or, “Everyone else thinks this is okay except you,” are all ways to get you to do something by comparison.

Know that it’s alright to say “no.” A person will continue to manipulate you as long as you allow him to. You need to say “no” to protect your well being. Look in the mirror and practice saying, “No, I cannot help you with that,” or, “No, that isn’t going to work for me.”[14] You must stand up for yourself, and you deserve to be treated with respect.

You should not feel guilty about saying “no.” It is your right to do so.

You can politely say no. When a manipulator asks you to do something, try: “I’d love to, but I’m too busy in the upcoming months,” or, “Thanks for asking, but no.”

Set boundaries. The manipulator who finds everything unfair and falls to pieces, they are attempting to gain your sympathy in order to use it to further their own needs. In this case, the manipulator will rely on a sense of “helplessness” and will seek financial, emotional, or other forms of help from you. Look out for attitudes and comments like, “You are the only one I have,” and “I have no one else to talk to,” etc. You are not obligated or equipped to meet this person’s needs all of the time.

If the person says, “I have no one else to talk to,” try countering with concrete examples: #**”Remember yesterday when Grace came over to talk to you all afternoon? And Sally’s said she’s more than happy to listen over the phone whenever you need a sounding board. I’m happy to talk to you for the next five minutes but after that, I have an appointment I cannot miss.”

Avoid blaming yourself. The manipulator will try to make you feel inadequate. Remember that you are being manipulated to feel bad about yourself, and you are not the problem. When you begin to feel bad about yourself, recognize what is happening and put your feelings in check.[15]

Ask yourself, “Is the person treating me with respect?” “Does this person have reasonable requests and expectations of me?” “Is this a one-sided relationship?” “Do I feel good about myself in this relationship?”

If the answer to these questions is “no,” the manipulator is likely the problem in the relationship, not you.

Be assertive. Manipulators often twist and distort facts to make themselves appear more attractive. When responding to a fact distortion, seek clarification. Explain that this is not how you remembered the facts and that you’re curious to get a better understanding. Ask the person simple questions about when you both agreed to an issue, how they believed the approach was formed, etc. When you meet on common ground again, take this as the new starting point, not their distorted one. For example:

The person says, “You never back me up in those meetings; you’re only in it for your own gains and you’re always leaving me to the sharks.”

You respond with, “That’s not true. I believed that you were ready to talk to the investors about your own ideas. If I had thought you were erring, I’d have stepped, in but I thought you did a brilliant job by yourself.”

Listen to yourself. It is very important to listen to yourself and how you feel about the situation. Do you feel oppressed, pressured, obliged to do things for this person that you’d rather not do? Does his behavior seem to impact you endlessly, so that after one form of assistance, you are expected to grant yet more help and support? Your answers should serve as a true guide to where your relationship with this person is headed next.

Curtail the guilt trip. One of the key things to keep in mind when escaping the guilt trip bind is that the sooner you nip it in the bud, the better. Take a return-to-sender approach with guilt trips and don’t let the person’s interpretation of your behavior determine the situation. This approach involves taking what the manipulator has said and telling them how they are being disrespectful, inconsiderate, unrealistic, or unkind.

If they, “You don’t care about all the hard work I’ve done for you.” Try saying, “I sure do care about the hard work you’ve done for me. I’ve said as much many times. Now it seems to me that you don’t appreciate how much I care.”

Shorten the person’s hold on you. When a manipulator tries to guilt-trip you by suggesting that they don’t matter, do not buy into it.

Put the focus on the manipulative person. Instead of allowing the manipulator to ask you questions and make demands, take control of the situation. When you are asked or being pressured into doing something unreasonable or that makes you uncomfortable, ask the person some probing questions.[16]

Ask the person, “Does that seem fair to me?” “Do you really think this is reasonable?” “How will this help/benefit me?” “How do you think this makes me feel?”

These questions may cause the manipulator to back down.

Do not make any quick decisions. A manipulator may try to pressure you into making a quick decision or demand a quick response. Instead of giving in, tell the person, “I’ll think about it.” This will keep you from agreeing to something that you do not really want to do or backing yourself into a corner.[17]

If an offer disappears if you take time to think, then it may be because you wouldn’t do it if you had time to think. If they’re pushing you to make a split-second decision, the best answer is likely a “no thanks.”

Build your support network. Focus on your healthier relationships, and spend time with people who make you feel happy and confident. Look to family members, friends, mentors, a partner, and/or friends from the internet. These people can help you stay balanced and happy with yourself. Don’t let yourself be isolated!

Stay away from the manipulator. If you find that it is becoming too difficult or harmful for you to interact with a manipulative person, keep your distance from them. It is not your job to change them. If the manipulator is a family member or coworker that you have to be around, try to limit your interactions. Only engage when it is absolutely necessary.[18]

Manipulation can happen in all types of relationships, including romantic, familial, or platonic relationships.

Look for a pattern in certain behaviors. If you can safely predict how someone will behave in order to achieve certain ends, you are most likely on the right track to picking up on manipulative behaviors.

Skin plays a significant role in the health of our bodies, but having soft, healthy skin is also important for self-esteem. There are many things that can prevent your skin from feeling soft and smooth, including exposure to the elements, irritants and pollutants, lack of moisture, and poor overall health. Getting and keeping your skin soft involves proper diet, following healthy routines, taking care of your skin inside and out, and avoiding things that could irritate or dry out your skin.

Exfoliate weekly. Exfoliation makes your skin softer by removing dirt, oil, and dead skin cells. You can scrub your face with coffee grounds mixed with some mild soap,[1] or a store-bought exfoliation product. For relief of redness as well, look for something that contains green tea extracts and glycolic acid.[2]

Avoid exfoliating more than once or twice a week, as exfoliating too often can cause skin irritation.

Wash properly. Moisture loss and removing your skin’s natural oils can lead to dry and flaky skin, and bathing too often, bathing for too long, and using hot water can all increase moisture and oil loss. Bathe every other day if you can, use cooler water, use your hand or a soft cloth instead of a scrubber to apply soap,[3] and limit your shower time to five or 10 minutes.[4]

After your shower or bath, don’t rub your skin dry, as this can remove moisture and oil. Instead, gently pat or rub yourself with a fluffy towel.[5]

Shave properly. If you choose to shave, save shaving for last when you’re bathing, because this will give your skin time to soften up. Use a moisturizing shaving cream and sharp razors with multiple blades. It’s also important to shave downward, or with the direction of your hair growth to prevent irritation.[6]

Don’t shave first thing in the morning when you’re retaining water, as you won’t get as close a shave.

Treat razor burn with a warm compress, and always moisturize after shaving.

To avoid the added cost of shaving cream, you can use hair conditioner as a substitute, but avoid soap as it won’t lubricate your skin enough.

Moisturize daily. Your skin doesn’t seem to mind what kind of moisturizer you prefer, as long as you use it often and regularly.[7] Always moisturize after bathing or shaving, before applying makeup, after removing makeup, and after doing dishes or getting your skin wet.

Look for a moisturizer that has plant-based oils and hydrating ingredients like vitamin A, vitamin E,[8] cocoa butter, shea butter, lavender, and chamomile.[9]

Keep your makeup brushes clean. Makeup brushes can harbor bacteria and spread from one area of your body to another, clogging pores and causing irritation. To avoid this, wash your brushes weekly with liquid soap and warm water. Allow them to dry out again before use.[11]

Remove makeup before bed. For people who choose to wear makeup, sleeping with it on can clog your pores and lead to infections.[12] Before bed, use a gentle cleanser, lukewarm water, and soft cloth to remove your makeup. Pat your face dry and apply moisturizer.

Use makeup sparingly if you do choose to wear it, as it can dehydrate and dry your skin. Look for brands that don’t contain dangerous ingredients, and that are hypoallergenic.[13]

Apply skin-softening foods topically. There are many skin-friendly foods that are good to use both inside and outside of your body. For instance, potatoes can help reduce puffiness, while avocado can make your skin look fresh and plump. Citrus fruits, which shouldn’t be applied to the face, can be used as exfoliants, and pineapple has been known to brighten skin.[14]

Treat yourself to a massage. Not only are massages relaxing and wonderful, but they also increase circulation, which helps bring nutrients, hydrating water, and a radiant glow to your skin. Moreover, oil massages can also be very moisturizing, so even if you don’t opt for a professional massage, treat yourself by massaging your hands, face, arms, legs, and body with your favorite oil before bed a couple nights a week.

Shield your skin from dry cold. Humidity levels tend to drop in colder weather, which means less moisture in the air, and drier skin. To make matters worse, artificial heat further reduces moisture, leaving you with dry, itchy, flaky skin. You can help prevent dry skin by:

Showering less in the winter.

Moisturizing more.

Installing a humidifier to add moisture back to the air in your home or office.[15]

Protect yourself from the elements. The cold, dry air of winter isn’t the only environmental factor that can cause your skin to be less soft. Exposure to wind can cause dryness and irritation, while UV exposure can cause premature aging, wrinkles, leathery skin, and more serious medical issues like skin cancer.

Protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen, sun-protective apparel, and SPF makeups and moisturizers.

Protect your skin from the cold and wind with gloves, hats, scarves, and other winter gear.

Stay away from allergens and irritants. There are many things that can cause your skin to become blotchy, red, itchy, and flaky, including fabrics like wool, harsh detergents and fabric softeners, perfumes and fragrances, dyes, and non-hypoallergenic cosmetics and creams.[16]

Avoid dehydrating ingredients and products. Stay away from alcohol-based products that go on your skin, and anything containing sodium lauryl sulfate.[17] It’s also important to watch what goes into your body, as diuretics like caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes can dehydrate your skin, lead to wrinkles, and make your skin look sallow.[18]

Antioxidants like tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, berries, and other red, orange, and yellow foods. [21]

Drink water instead of sugary drinks. While the eight cups of water rule is a generalization, it is important to stay hydrated. If you feel thirsty, your body is telling you that you need water, so drink up!

Don’t fret over the natural sugar found in fruits, but you should avoid drinks like pop that contain lots of added sugar, which can lead to wrinkles and saggy skin.[22]

Exercise regularly. Along with improving overall physical and mental health, exercise also increases circulation, bringing nutrients to your skin that make it soft and healthy. Also, the sweat helps to wick dirt and bacteria away from your skin, which can help to keep pores clear. Always be sure to at least rinse off with cool water after a workout to remove sweat and dirt.

Get your beauty sleep. Collagen is the protein that keeps your skin taut and wrinkle-free, and this is created thanks to growth hormones that are secreted during sleep. A good night of rest, therefore, is necessary for smooth and soft skin.[23]

Address medical issues. Many skin-related problems can lead to rough, red, blotchy skin that isn’t smooth or soft. Often, redness, scaly skin, itching, blisters, and excessive pimples can be treated with special medications or ointments, depending on the cause. Talk to your doctor or dermatologist about diagnosis and treatment if you suspect you may have skin problems such as:

While it may be tempting to pop pimples to make them less apparent, it’s usually best to let them run their course without touching them. Popping a pimple can push bacteria further into your skin, can spread bacteria to new places, and can ultimately lead to permanent scarring.[24]

A dish you should certainly try if you visit Peru or any other Latin American country is arroz con leche (rice with milk). Many people have tried it, but not so many know how to make it. Here are the steps to prepare it.

In cold weather, car doors can freeze shut, and typically at the most inconvenient time. You can end up with a door that refuses to open, a lock that refuses to budge, or both at the same time. But this is not an impossible task. A some preparation, a little know-how, and ingenuity and you will be in your vehicle soon.

Avoid weather effects. The typical cause of car doors and car locks freezing shut is ice. When icing conditions are predicted–rain near the freezing point, freezing rain, freezing fog, or a rain and snow–get your vehicle under cover. Another possible cause is frigid weather, which may cause locks and car doors to freeze without a lot of moisture causing the problem. Of course, not everyone has access to a covered parking space, heated garage, or the like.

Avoid locking your doors. If possible, be careful to keep doors unlocked. This will avoid the locking mechanism from locking into place.

A tarp can be useful in covering vehicles. Other impromptu coverings may help as well, such as garbage bags, and plastic sheeting.

Replace torn or missing rubber gaskets. The rubber gasket, or seal, along the edge of the car door is the area that freezes, not the metal itself. Inspect the seal on each car door and around each window. Visit an auto parts store to purchase replacements if you notice tears or gaps where water could seep in.

Wipe down the door frame. Clean the entire door frame to remove road debris and other detritus that can build up over time. Water can collect around the dirt and freeze the door shut once the temperatures drop.

Coat the rubber with a protective liquid. Rub oil or lubricant over the rubber seals with a paper towel. This will repel water, reducing the amount that enters the seal and freezes. There is some disagreement over which oil is best to use, but here are a few options:

A rubber conditioner or rubber care product are probably the safest options for long-term care.

Silicone spray lubricant can last several weeks per application, but it can damage foam rubber seals and should be kept away from paint.[1][2]

WD40, another light lubricating oil, or even nonstick cooking spray are easily available options, but repeated use can dry out or disintegrate the rubber.[3][4]

Use a car cover. If your car is parked outside, a car cover minimizes the amount of moisture from snow and rain that can reach the door parts and freeze.This is especially useful during an ice storm or other icing event.

Alternatively, find a heavy gauge trash bag and hang it over the open car doorway. Oil the rubber as described above, then shut the door over the plastic.

Rub the key and lock with rubbing alcohol. Choose a rubbing alcohol that contains at least 60% alcohol, so the alcohol will adhere to the lock and prevent moisture from freezing over it.[5] Rub it onto the key and the door lock with a paper towel once per week to prevent ice from forming. This can also work to melt existing ice, but is typically slower than the methods below.[6]

Petroleum jelly is another option, but may leave a messy residue on your equipment.

Spray a lock lubricant for severe problems. If rubbing alcohol is not enough to keep your lock usable, select a lock lubricant. Even experts tend to have differing opinions about lubricant choices, but some options are recommended more often than others. Use only one of the following options per lock, since a mix could easily gum it up:[7][8][9]

A graphite lubricant typically comes in a squeeze bottle of air that can be pressed directly into the keyhole. Some people find this can absorb moisture over time and leave gunk on the key.

Teflon-based lubricant is often recommended, but some people consider the products that contain silicone messy and ineffective.

Greaseless lubricants are supposed to attract less dust and debris.

Spray frozen locks with a de-icer. Keep a de-icer product in your garage or winter jacket, in case you are frozen out of your car. These are typically sprayed directly onto the lock, and are the most effective option in severe ice conditions. Choose the lock with the least amount of ice buildup, spray, and insert the key.[10]

Heat the key. Hold the key with an oven mitt or tongs, with the toothed tip over a lighter or match, then insert it in the lock. If the key is completely metal, with no plastic handle or computerized fob, you can safely heat the key while it is inserted in the lock.[11][12]

This is not common a practice in cold climates; it is hazardous and there are other, safer alternatives for you and your vehicle. This should be attempted if no other alternatives are available.

Do not do this with a key with a computerized chip. This may easily damage the electronics, and replacements can costs hundreds of dollars.

Warm the lock with a hairdryer or your own breath. This method is less effective, but worth a try if no other options are available. A cardboard tube (such as an empty toilet paper tube) placed over the frozen lock will help direct the warm air.[13] Keep trying for several minutes, especially if you do not have a tube or if conditions are windy.

If your car is outside, use a battery-operated hair dryer, or an extension cord rated for outdoor use.

Choose a recipe, purchase ingredients, mix and knead and bake all afternoon. No one wants that story to end with half the cake stuck to the tin. Grease and flour will usually avert this disaster. For the runniest batter or the stickiest tins, start unrolling your baking paper.

Use this method for cakes and pans likely to stick. You don’t need paper for every cake recipe. Paper is recommended for long-cooking cakes, such as fruitcakes. For most other recipes, you can save time and money by using butter and flour instead, as described below.

Regardless of recipe, use paper if your your tin has a history of sticking,

Lightly grease with butter. This will help stick the greaseproof paper (parchment paper) to the sides of the tin, making assembly easier.[1] Because the cake batter won’t be touching the tin directly, you don’t need to do a thorough job.

Measure the tin with a piece of string. Wrap a piece of string around the cake tin. Cut the string where it wraps fully around the tin.

Measure the greaseproof paper with the string. Unroll your greaseproof paper and place the string over it. Cut off a piece of paper the length of the string.

Cut the paper in half lengthwise. Fold this in half lengthwise, to make a long, narrow rectangle. Crease the fold with your hand. Unfold and cut along the crease. You now have two pieces of paper that can fit around your cake tin’s sides. Set aside one of them for another cake — you’ll only need one.

You can use both to double-line the cake tin, but this is usually unnecessary.

Crease a short fold on one side of the paper. Take the long side of the paper and fold it over about 2.5 cm (one inch). Crease this fold.

Cut the creased section into many segments. This small folded area will rest on the base of the pan. To make it fit smoothly without crumpling, cut from the edge to the crease at 2.5 cm (one inch) intervals. You’ll end up with a row of flaps.

Cut out paper for the base. You’ve prepared the paper to cover the sides. All that’s left is the base. Place the tin on the paper and use a pencil to trace around it. Cut out the outline to make a piece that will cover the base.

Since the outside of the tin is larger than the inside, stay slightly within the line you traced.

Fit the paper into the tin. Wrap the long piece of paper around the inside walls of the tin. Push the flaps down until they are all lying flat against the base. Place the base paper onto the base of the tin, over the flaps. Press down to make sure it lies flat.

You can leave up to 5 cm (2 inches) of paper above the upper edge. This traps the heat in and browns the cake sides if it rises over the tin. Trim off any excess above that level.

Grease the pan. Wipe softened butter or shortening over the interior base and sides of the pan.

Cut out a piece of parchment paper. Place the tin on greaseproof paper (parchment paper) and trace around the base with a pencil. Fold up the paper on each side, up to the top of the tin. Cut out this large rectangle of paper.

If your batter isn’t runny, you can use just one strip of paper instead, covering two opposite sides and the base. Leave an overhang so you can easily pull the cake out.[3]

Fold the paper along the pencil lines. Fold the paper just inside the pencil lines, to compensate for the thickness of the tin. Turn the paper over and fold it back the other way, so the pencil marks face down.

Line the tin. Fit the paper inside the greased tin, pressing it down onto the base. Fold the corners to get them to fit, creasing them against the side.

Use this method for dry batter or odd-shaped tins. Lining a Bundt pan with paper is not worth the effort. Grease and flour cover the crevices more effectively than paper, and are usually enough to prevent sticking. In fact, you can use this method for regular tins as well, as long as the cake batter isn’t too runny.

Decide how much to grease. Most cakes do well in a fully greased tin. but there are exceptions:[4]

A light batter such as angel food or chiffon cake will rise higher (and end up fluffier) if it has an ungreased side to climb up. The flour will help with this, but you may still want to leave the upper sides ungreased.

Grease the tin with butter. Soften your butter in the microwave for a few seconds if you took it straight from the fridge. Wipe the stick of butter directly onto base of the tin, or apply it with a pastry brush. Use the advice above to decide how much of the interior sides to grease.

Bundt cakes often stick where the tubes of the Bundt pan meet the base.[5] Pay special attention to crevices and corners like these.

You can use shortening instead.

You can use a non-stick cooking spray, but cheap grocery store brands tend to be less effective. Look for a higher-quality spray or “cake release spray” at specialty cooking and baking stores.[6][7]

Dust with flour. Sprinkle flour over the base of the tin. Hold one end of the pan and tap the other end repeatedly. This will shunt excess flour over the base, covering the whole area.[8] Rotate the tin and repeat to cover the sides.

Substitute cocoa powder for dark-colored cakes. This isn’t necessary if you plan to frost the cake.

Tap out excess flour. Angle the tin downward and tap out extra flour. If there are any gaps on the surface, cover them with more grease and flour.

Caring for newborn kittens is hard work. They require attention and care around the clock. If you have recently taken in some newborn kittens, you will have your work cut out for you. If the mother cat is still in the picture, she can provide most of the kittens’ needs herself. You can support her by feeding her and leaving the kittens alone during their first week of life. If the mother cat is not around or not able to care for her babies, then you will have to take over her responsibilities